A communication system provides for communication of information between sets of communication stations that are operable in the communication system. Information that is communicated between the communication devices that are parties to a communication session is communicated upon communication paths that extend between the communication devices. A communication path formed in a cellular, or other multi-user, radio communication system typically includes a part defined upon a radio air interface and a part defined within network infrastructure of the communication system. The part of the communication path that is defined within the network infrastructure for uplink, i.e., reverse link, communications is sometimes referred to as the ‘backhaul’. As the availability of bandwidth upon which to define the backhaul, and other, communication paths is finite, the amount of bandwidth that is available constrains the communication capacity of the communication system.
As a result of this constraint, there is a need to make efficient use of the bandwidth that is available pursuant to communication operations. When the communication system comprises a large, multi-user system, the allocation of, or otherwise providing of, bandwidth to multiple communication-station sets to carry out multiple, concurrent communication sessions becomes a challenging task. Conventionally, allocations are made through performance of a channel-assignment, handshake phase. A channel handshake phase, however, requires a signaling exchange between a network control entity and the communication devices. The signaling exchange is resource consumptive, both in processing and bandwidth requirements, including backhaul bandwidth requirements.
The existing procedures are therefore less than ideal. An improved mechanism would therefore be advantageous.
It is in light of this background information related to communications in a communication system that the significant improvements of the present disclosure have evolved.